Sunday Morning Book Thread 12-30-2012: End of the Year Edition [OregonMuse]

New Year's Day At AoSHQ

Good morning morons and moronettes and welcome to this week's bleary, hungover, and out-of-focus. Sunday Morning Book Thread.

You Know Who Else Has Written a Book?

Moron commenter Oldsailors Poet, that's who. His new book Amy Lynn, just came out last week. According to the Amazon description:

Amy Lynn is the story of the life of a sheltered, unrefined, tomboyish country girl relatively untouched by the culture of the outside world. While growing up in the early 1990's on the outskirts of the small rural town of black Oak Alabama, she learns that honor, virtue and a strong work ethic are not just positive character traits, but a way of survival

This is a story about character, both good and bad, and how it is formed and how it is nurtured. From the intensely personal author's note:

Throughout the years I have met people, wonderful people, that stood by me when I was at my worst, when my life was at it's lowest. I often wondered, who mentored them? Who made them who they are? Why would they waste time with me? But they did, and I am a better man for it.

With this in mind, it appears to me as if this book is Oldsailors Poet's way of paying back a debt that he never really can repay. So, if someone does you a kindness, the only thing you can do do is to pass on that kindness to someone else. And that looks to be precisely what OSP has done by writing his book.

New Moron Author Writes Book, Wants Reviews

Occasional moron commenter 'Secret Squirrel's Balls Und Sheft' has just published a book for children ages 5-9, Sir Robert of Cheshire (The Great Jueyjua Hunt). The author tells me it is written "in the vein of the great adventure stories of Kipling, Hemingway etc."

The book is actually more than just a story. At the end of the book there are activities for the kids to do, a scientific lesson, and food recipe that kids can do with their parents.

I'm thinking this book would appeal to homeschooling parents, who tend to like to use the same basic material for multiple subjects and lessons.

Also, any book is worth reading if it's prefaced by an author's note such as this:

A warning to parents and kids! † If you donít like hunters or hunting: DONíT READ THIS BOOK. †

If you are unsure as to where hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken drummies or T-bone steaks come from, DONíT READ THIS BOOK! † THIS BOOK ISNíT FOR YOU!

If you donít like adventure, exploring different cultures, learning about delicious and exotic foods, or learning new skills, YOU REALLY SHOULDNíT READ THIS BOOK.

If your heroes are professional athletes and movie stars, YOU SHOULD PUT THIS BOOK DOWN IMMEDIATELY!

If, however, you admire courage, honesty, honor, adventure, and seeing a good and brave man fight monsters and strange beasts, THEN YOU WILL REALLY LIKE SIR ROBERT AND I SUGGEST YOU BEGIN READING THIS TO YOUR CHILDREN NOW.

The only complaint about this book is that it is only available in a Kindle edition, which is an inadequate format for this type of book. This book really needs to be published in a dead tree edition, a "hands-on" book to be grasped, passed around read again and again, notes scribbled in, stuff spilled on it at the dinner table, taken to be read in bed, etc.

On the other hand, it only costs $2 on Kindle.

The author also says:

I've written about 10 of these stories and will publish more if I can get some reviews and feedback.

I bought this book to review and believe me, it's worth checking out for your kids.

Yet Another Moron Author

Rumor has it that Sabrina Chase has either just released, or is about to release yet another one of her fine books. Hopefully, she will e-mail me the details so I can feature them in an upcoming book thread.